The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-03-26
NOT A POLITICAL MACHINE.

The best way to- bring the Grand
Army of the Republic into disrepute,
if not to destruction, is the way that
some fanatics are trying to employ, OF
turning the organization into political
machine to be operated by the Repub'
lican party. One Ralph Plumb, Re
publican Representative to Congress
from Illinois, is now engaged in the
anything but-laudable undertaking OF
trying to commit the G. A. &. to a
Genunciation of President Cleveland on
account of the latter's veto of the
pauper pension bill Plum has had
printed in Washington lot of docu-
ments yiciously and maliciously attack
ing the President, and assailing those
who supported the veto. These docu-
ments Mr.. Plumb is distributing
among the Grand Army posts,
accompanying them with personal
letters to the commanders, i'll
which he INDUCES in personal abuse
and denunciation. Here is sample of
his letters.which was made public by the
indignant commander to whom it was
addressed:
have no words to express the indignation
feel towards this functionary who essays
TO know better what the people need and
what they ought to do than they KIN w
intended to be used in such way. and no
man who has in his bosom the patriotism
and courage of true soldier would eyer
interpose his power r. prevent q great nation
from doing simple justice to the soldier IN
want.
He asked that the documents "be dis
tributed among the members of the
post"
The G. a. r. is made up of others
besides Republicans, the Democrats
furnishing large percentage of the
membership, as they supplied the ranks
with soldiers during the late war. But
if this we're not the case, the organic
ton is in no sense political, much less
partisan in its theory or conduct. When
it becomes partisan, when it becomes
more or less than its name implies, it
will lose the respect of the people, and
be deserted by all the true soldiers now
listed on its rolls.
MIR. Plumb's efforts are not likely to
be crowned with great success. He is
meeting with rebaffs and sometimes
spirited rebukes. One commander of
8 post in. Illinois. himself a
Republican, upon receipt of Plumb's
letter, wrote. that 1.-The literature
forwarded will not be circulated.
will not allow this post to be made
machine of so long as am commander
of it." He also said that he had con-
suited old, soldiers, Democrats and Re
and that "as rule, they all
approve the Veto In this connection
it may be remarked that the men who
went into the war from sense of
patriotism and duty, and not for the
bounties, approve the veto, as they re-
garded the bill as casting a reflection
on the true soldiers. The bill was the
work of demagogues, and demagogues
only are trying to use the veto to arouse
the partisan hate of men. Mr.. Plumb
is the kind of soldier who thinks the
country should be given over. to the
men who fought as he fought. He is q |
soldier who shouts loudly. of his pa
triotism, and boasts of his service to the |
nation, while the men who stood up
and shot and were shot at are modest |
and retiring. Mr.. Ralph Plumb did his |
fighting as quartermaster, and for his
gallant service in that department was
breyetted Lieutenant Colonel.